About Us

Since 2007, we’ve been offering healthy alternatives for local shoppers who care about where their food comes from. We are a hub for fresh, local, organic, and GMO-free products that help to create a sustainable food supply for our community. Many of our vendors live right here in Thurston County, and you may run into them when you visit the store.

Everyone is welcome!

Whether you’ve been a co-op member since birth or are brand new to the concept, our staff can help. All of us are knowledgeable about the products we carry and we’re happy to share that knowledge. You don’t need to be a member to shop here, but you won’t want to miss out on the many benefits of becoming a member. We offer the following services to our community:

  • We accept food stamps
  • We honor other co-op’s memberships.
  • We offer servicemen and women who present military ID or are in uniform member prices and other buying privileges.

Get Involved. Volunteers, also known as Working Members, are the backbone of our organization. They contribute time and energy to everything from cashiering and stocking items to creating signs and helping with special events. Want to get involved?

OUR VISION 

  • To be a central location for our community reflecting values of a healthy lifestyle. 
  • To serve our community by investing in our local food producers and businesses. 
  • To be able to promote the values of organic, healthy foods.
  • To be a place of education for our community with regard to these principles.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to continually grow our organization by educating ourselves and practicing the fundamental principles of cooperation, membership service and community service on an ongoing basis.

We are a community-owned grocery store that serves the community’s needs, not the needs of big corporations. We source our products as close to home as possible. By sourcing locally and selling sustainable and natural products, The Yelm Food Coop keeps our community’s money in the local economy, which promotes local independence.

OUR STAFF

  • Alex Dowell – Cashier
  • Brenda Hough – Shift Lead
  • Christina Hoelzer – Shift Lead
  • Debera Ricalde – Assistant Manager
  • Diane D’Acuti – Cashier
  • Emily Ranken – Store Manager
  • Florence Vincent – Buyer /

    Merchandiser
  • Glenadine O’Harra – Cashier
  • Isagani Ricalde – Cashier
  • Jutta Dewell – Store Manager
  • Marc Hannon – Cashier
  • Margaret Gilbride – Wine
  • Department Manager
  • Michael Burke – Shift Lead
  • Michaela Perkins – Cashier
  • Ute Christine Jarlik – Floor Manager

How are we doing financially?

Daily totals from the pont of sale system

Expenses updated the third week of the next month.

Supporting Our Local Producers

Thai Coconut Shrimp Tom Yum Soup

Ruby Jewel’s Seasonal Blackberry Cobbler and S’mores

We’re really excited to bring you ever popular Ruby Jewel’s summer seasonal flavor. We only have a few boxes of the Blackberry Cobbler, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Blackberry Ice Cream, but we also found these S’mores, Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies with Honey...

Olykraut Organic Pickled Beets

We came across these Olykraut Organic Pickled Beets at the Olympia Farmers Market. They are delicious, not too salty. They aren’t available from any of our distributors, so we are buying them from Olykraut directly.

Za’atar & Spices soft cheese from UmYum

This plant based Za’atar & Spices soft cheese from UmYum is one of the tastiest we’ve had so far.

Local lettuce from Mari’s Farm

Wonderful local lettuce from Mari’s Farm. They look like flowers

Organic Delicata Squash

These are the cutest little Organic Delicata Squash. Check them out.

Half price on Ham & Beef Brisket

Half price sale on local Colvin Ranch Hickory Wood Smoked Uncured Ham and Eel River Organic Uncured Corned Beef Brisket. They’re frozen, so pick one up to keep for you next Summer picnic.

Special Deals

We have some of these delicious holiday chocolates left from last season. We won’t be able to bring them in this next holiday so if you love them like we do, pick up a couple of boxes at their reduced prices.

Shepherds Pie Recipe

  Here’s a classic shepherds pie recipe using Abbot’s plant based ground beef, or you can use regular ground beef.

Colvin Ranch Beef Marrow Bones

New from Colvin Ranch Beef Marrow Bones